Cutter for sheet material



Nov. 30, 1937.

M. E. HALSTEAD CUTTER FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 24, 1956 Fig.2. 3e

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES attests PATENT OFFiCE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for cutting or punching sheet material. The invention is primarily intended for punching holes in leather in the manufacture of shoes, but it can be used equally well for cutting or punching other material than leather.

Shoe uppers are commonly decorated by one or more lines of holes near the seams Which join parts of the shoe together. For example, there may be a row of decorative holes in a tip just ahead of the seam which connects it with the vamp and holes are often punched. in the vamp along the edge of the throat.

With shoes having graded uppers, the contour of the edge to be decorated will generally be different for every size of shoe, and different styles of shoes usually have dissimilar uppers. The cost of separate punching dies for every size of every style of decorated shoe is so high that manufacturers have been forced to limit the variety of their shoes. T

It is an object of this invention to provide a cutting or punching device which can be used for decorating the edges of shoe uppers of substantially any contour. The invention comprises a number of blocks which are hinged together to make a flexible chain, and the various blocks of the chain carry separate cutters or punches.

Withsuch a flexible cutting or punching apparatus it is not necessary for a manufacturer to have a complete die for every size and style of shoe, but merely a series of relatively inexpensive die structures which contain channels for holding the chain to the contours of the respective edges which are to be decorated. Even greater economies in equipment can be effected by virtue of the fact that the flexible chain of this invention can be used with die structures having a standard base which holds interchangeable clamping plates shaped to form the channels for holding the chain. Such a die structure is shown in my patent application, Serial No. 102,384, filed Sept. 24, 1936.

The cutting or punching apparatus of this invention has the additional advantage that it can be used with adjustable dies.

Another feature of the invention relates to the construction of the individual blocks of which the chain is made, and to the structure by which the blocks are connected wit-h one another.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a die containing punching apparatus embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view, partly in section, showing a short length of the punching apparatus of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on the 5 lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, of Fi 2, but showing portions of the die structure;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the punching apparatus, similar to Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective View showing a single link of the chain.

The punching apparatus comprises a flexib chain made up of blocks H, l2 coupled together by pins l4 and held in a channel I 5 of a die structure I6. This channel is shaped to the contour of the edge to be decorated. The die shown in Fig. 1 is designed to punch a row of ornamental openings along the rearward edge of a shoe vamp.

The, blocks ll, l2 are clamped between plates 18 and, I9 which form the sides of the channel 20 I5. The die is intended for use with a stripper plate in a manner well understood in the art, but the stripper plate is omitted from the drawing for greater clearness. A more detailed description of the die structure is contained in my ap- 25 plication Serial No. 102,384.

Each of the blocks l I and I2 has widely spaced, triangular lugs 2! extending from one side, and similar, but less widely spaced lugs 22 extending from the opposite side. When the blocks are 30 close together, the lugs 22 fit inside of the lugs 2|, as shown in Fig. 2, and the lugs are held in this overlapping relation by the pin I4, which extends through the lugs and comprises a pivot connection between the adjacent blocks ll, l2 from which the lugs 2|, 22 extend.

The pins M are preferably made from music wire because of the great strength of such wire, and these pins extend for a considerable distance above the blocks l I, I2 so. that they can be firmly gripped in pincers and pulled out of the lugs in case it becomes desirable to remove some of the blocks from the chain. The lower sides of the blocks are flat for stably supporting the chain on the base plate of the die structure. The pins M do not extend below the bottom faces of the blocks or lugs.

A tubular cutter or punch 26 is carried by each of the blocks H and has a cutting edge at its upper end. The lower end of each punch 26 extends into an opening 21 in the top of the block l l and is firmly held by the block. An annular shoulder 28 provides a positive limit on the extent to Which the punch can extend into the block.

The opening through the punch 26 is tapered and becomes larger toward the lower end to facilitate the passage of the punchings. A passage 30 opens through one side of the block H and extends under the opening 27. The passage 30 is of larger cross-section than the punchings and is inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, so that punchings coming down the tubular punch 26 and opening 21 are deflected at an acute angle and discharged from the block through the passage 30'. This side discharge leaves the bottom face of the block imperforate and makes it possible to support the chain on a solid base plate 32 (Fig. 3).

If the passage 39 extended at right angles to the opening 2'! and there were no expedient for causing the punchings to move through the passage 30, they would accumulate in the block II and tubular punch 26 until the punch was filled up and could no longer operate. The inclined passage 30 deflects the punchings and leaves them with a component of their downward motion. This is a simple and effective expedient for discharging them through the side of the block.

The plate I 9 has channels 314 in its bottom face and the punchings discharged from the passage 30 moves across the top face of the base plate 32 and through the channels 34.

Fig. 4 shows the construction of one of the blocks l2, which differs from the block I I, already described, in width and in the number of punches. Block l2 has two substantially parallel, tubular punches 33 of smaller size but otherwise similar to the punch 26. The punches 36 fit into openings 31 which communicate with a common inclined passage 39.

In the illustration of this invention the punches have been shown with their cutting edges upward, but the chain can be put in any other position called for by the design of the machine with which it is used. Terms of orientation in the description and claims are, therefore, relative. Changes in the cutters and other modifications of the apparatus illustrated may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for punching a line of holes along a line of a given contour, said. aparatus comprising a flexible chain made of blocks hinged together, tubular punches carried by individual blocks of the chain, and a die structure holding the chain to the desired contour of the line of holes to be punched.

2. Apparatus for punching sheet material ineluding a plurality of blocks, pivot connections joining the blocks into a flexible chain, separate tubular cutters extending through the top faces of individual blocks of the chain, and passages in said blocks in position to receive the punchingsfrom the tubular punches, said passages opening through the side faces of the blocks so that the chain can be supported on a solid base plate.

3. A punching device comprising a multitude of blocks each of which has widely spaced lugs extending from one side, and less widely spaced lugs extending from the other side, the difference in spacing of said lugs being such that the less widely spaced lugs on each block fit between the other lugs of the adjacent block, a pin extending through the overlapping lugs and pivotally connecting the blocks together into a flexible chain, tubular punches secured in the individual blocks of the chain, and passages constructed and arranged to receive the punchings from the tubular punch and deflect them out through the sides of the blocks.

4. Punching apparatus including in combination a plurality of blocks each of which has widely spaced lugs extending from one side, and less widely spaced lugs extending from the other side,

' the difference in spacing of said lugs being such that the less widely spaced lugs on each block fit between the other lugs of the adjacent block, a pin extending through the overlapping lugs and pivotally connecting the blocks together into a flexible chain, separate tubular cutters extending through the top faces of individual blocks of. the chain, and passages in said blocks in position to receive the punchings from the tubular punches, said passages opening through the side faces of the blocks so that the chain can be supported on a solid base plate.

5. Means for punching sheet material including a plurality of blocks having substantially flat bottom faces for stably supporting them on a plane base, overlapping lugs on adjacent blocks, pivots connecting the lugs and joining said blocks into a flexible chain, separate tubular cutters extending through the top surfaces of the individual blocks of the chain, and a discharge for punchings comprising a passage opening through a side of each of said blocks and sloping upward under the opening into which the tubular punch extends. I

MERLE E. HALSTEAD. 

